


a king and his indispensable pawn

by soymirukuu



Series: the yoshimitsu agenda ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) [2]
Category: Samurai Warriors (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, BACK ON MY BULLSHIT, Established Relationship, HeYYOOO IM BACK YALL, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Light Angst, M/M, Prolly OOC, also if there's anything i'm remotely consistent at it's making unsatisfying endings, but at this point i don't even care lmaooo, maybe a few days before sekigahara???, petition to make 'Ishida Mitsunari is Bad At Feelings' an actual tag, that surprisingly has nothing to do with this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 23:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19895950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soymirukuu/pseuds/soymirukuu
Summary: Mitsunari can't do it.He can't bring himself to abandon Yoshitsugu.





	a king and his indispensable pawn

**Author's Note:**

> heyoooo luna's back at her yoshimitsu bullshit  
> this time it's angst
> 
> also sakichi and kinnosuke are mitsunari's and yoshitsugu's childhood names respectively
> 
> so uh yeah lol
> 
> ALSO ALSO THERE'S LIKE A SEKIGAHARA READING EVENT OR SOMETHING EARLIER TODAY IN JAPAN AND IM LIKE,,,,,,, :")))

Mitsunari walks down the hall, stepping on the wooden floors with trepidation. Tonight the moon is shrouded in darkness, hidden behind an impenetrable curtain of clouds. He arrives at his destination much sooner than he would like to, stalling in front of the sliding doors for a few moments, eventually deciding to knock on the wooden frame.

"Come in," a voice replied to him from within, slightly muffled.

Mitsunari shoves his hesitation away and pushes the sliding door open. Inside the room, Yoshitsugu sits up from his bed with sluggish motions, pulling away the thick blanket that had covered his body.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you this late at night," Mitsunari mutters as he closes back the door and makes his way towards Yoshitsugu, plopping himself down beside the other man.

Yoshitsugu shakes his head. "It's alright. More importantly, what is it that you needed to discuss with me?"

The way Yoshitsugu's voice sounds hoarse sends a wave of unease surging inside of him.

Next to the bed, the light in lamp flickers. Although the doors were closed, Mitsunari could feel the chilly autumn wind rushing past and shivers. Yoshitsugu seems unbothered, but something in Mitsunari tells him that it's merely a tough front. He just doesn't know why Yoshitsugu is trying his damnedest to hide his illness.

"...How long has it been since you've fallen ill?"

No visible signs of surprise, but Yoshitsugu doesn't answer the question, suddenly taking great interest at the spot on the floor beside Mitsunari. He waits for an answer, a response, a reply, anything. The seconds tick by in silence, so slowly it's almost painful.

After what seems like an eternity, Yoshitsugu finally relents, letting out a quiet sigh.

"It's been quite some time now, but it has only worsened recently."

Mitsunari is almost afraid to ask. "How so?"

"Sharp pains in my chest. Coughing fits. Sometimes breathing becomes difficult." he explains, and the hesitation in his words is apparent. Mitsunari knows Yoshitsugu is trying to make it sound less serious than it actually is.

Even in the dimly lit room, the dark circles under Yoshitsugu's eyes are noticeable. He looks worse for wear― his skin is paler than usual, almost devoid of any colour. The sight sends a swift pang in Mitsunari's heart.

How did he not see this before?

No, he might have seen the signs all along. Perhaps he just refused to believe it.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Mitsunari demands, clenching his fist until he can feel nails cutting into his palms. The words ring out harsher than he had intended to say, echoing in the silence, taunting and mocking him.

"We could have gone to a healer―"

Yoshitsugu shakes his head. "Believe me, I've tried every healer I could find. None of them could figure out what was wrong."

"Why... why didn't I notice it sooner?" he mutters. Mitsunari hangs his head low, and a stillness blankets over the room, heavy and stifling. He unclenches his fist. There are indentations from where his nails had been digging into the skin. He can feel Yoshitsugu's gaze on him, and Mitsunari bites his lip.

"I can't let you fight at Sekigahara."

"Mitsunari―"

"Not when you're in this condition! What kind of commander would send an ill man into battle?!"

"You'll need as many men as you can get. _This is the decisive battle_ ," Yoshitsugu's tone is firm and unbending. "I am only one of the many pawns in your disposal. Should the situation ever call for it, do not hesitate to discard me."

"I... I can't do that."

"We've gone this far, Mitsunari. We can't afford to lose now."

"I know that! I know..." Mitsunari's voice falters.

"A king has to sacrifice a few pawns to achieve victory."

"And do you think you're just a pawn to me, a puppet who I can just throw away once you're no longer of any use? Do you have any idea how I―" he stops mid-sentence to grab Yoshitsugu by the collar. The other man's eyes widen in surprise for a fraction of a moment, but it disappears quickly as their gazes are locked on each other. 

"...I can't lose you, Yoshitsugu. Not you," Mitsunari whispers. He wants to say more, _needs to say more_ , but he struggles to form the words, and a lump forms in his throat. Yoshitsugu holds Mitsunari's wrist. He gently pries the hand holding his collar away, before intertwining their fingers together.

Yoshitsugu's hands are far, far too cold.

"I am still going to Sekigahara," Yoshitsugu declares with an air of finality.

Mitsunari flinches.

"...Why? Is your life of so little value to you?"

Yoshitsugu shakes his head. "The moment I came to serve you, I was willing to give up my life for your cause."

"Victory is meaningless if you aren't there by my side," Mitsunari wrenches his hand away and stands up, turning his back on Yoshitsugu, pointedly staring at the sliding doors. He saunters towards them.

"Sakichi."

Yoshitsugu calls out to him, and Mitsunari freezes in his tracks.

How many years has it been since he was called by his birth name?

Mitsunari looks back at him with some reluctance. He sees an image of a younger Yoshitsugu― Kinnosuke, and nostalgia wells up in his chest. Boys, mucking about so freely, going on adventures. Exploring the forest and swimming in the freezing rivers. He remembered feeling like he could take over the world, together with Kinnosuke.

But the image wavers, like a half-forgotten dream, and Mitsunari is plunged back to reality. Kinnosuke has become Yoshitsugu, and he is no longer Sakichi. No longer the naive boy he once was.

Those times were long gone.

He walks back to Yoshitsugu's side. As he was about to sit down, Yoshitsugu pulls Mitsunari's sleeve, and Mitsunari falls, crashing onto the bed. Yoshitsugu lies down and faces towards him.

As they lay side by side, Yoshitsugu's hands end up on his hair, running his fingers through the strands. He presses a kiss on Mitsunari's forehead.

"My life is yours, Mitsunari," Yoshitsugu whispers, as if trying to remind him.

"I don't need you to throw your life away," Mitsunari's voice is weak, "Just... stay with me. Until the end."

If Yoshitsugu is this persistent, then he has no choice. 

Yoshitsugu moves closer, until their faces are a hairsbreadth away from each other. Mitsunari's fingertips touch Yoshitsugu's cheeks tentatively, before he's pulled into an embrace. Exhaustion slowly takes over Mitsunari, and he closes his eyes. Yoshitsugu's fingers, stroking his head tenderly, lull him into sleep like a soft lullaby.

Whatever awaits them at Sekigahara, they'll face it head on.

Together.

**Author's Note:**

> if you made it to the end i wanna say thank you but also like,,, sorry you had to read 1k words worth of trash LMAOOO


End file.
